The Marriage Stone The final Chapters
by Sesshy Snow
Summary: I couldn't help myself when I read the final chapter uploaded by Miss. Darcy.  I had to fill the hole left behind by her lovely fic.  Please, if you enjoyed Miss. Darcy's fic let mine attempt to bring a close to it.
1. Chapter 78

Harry hadn't seen the Ravens for a while now; they had been unable to follow him in his endeavor to rescues the Muggles. And he, unable to awaken the Muggles, felt defeated; he had failed to save the people who needed him so badly. He knew they would die, knew that a great lot of them already had. He had managed to save the wizarding world but that number paled in comparison to those who he was unable to save. Even the magical core of the earth herself wasn't enough to help him awaken the Muggles and he felt utterly useless. Without a magical core there was nothing he could do; all of his efforts where for naught and he was exhausted. He found himself slipping into an unwelcomed darkness, filled with his worst of nightmares. As he attempted to cling to consciousness the darkness fought for his attention more fiercely. With little hope to attach too; the darkness crept into his very existence, consuming him entirely.

With his existence null all he wanted was for the pain to end; for the horror to stop. He couldn't hide from the dead here. He was surrounded and completely defenseless against this onslaught of terror. All the dead that Harry had blamed himself for, continuously, one right after the other, would appear before him silently accusing him. And just as he felt all of his hope slip from his grasp, the last of his energy and magic leaving him feeling entirely empty; he saw a dim light in the distance through all the darkness. But for all its weakness, against the onslaught of darkness, it warmed him from the inside out. Before he could even think about it, he was reaching for the light. As he drew closer he began to recognize the warmth emitting from it; as the darkness began to drain slowly from his consciousness. He knew this warmth, recognized it's magic. He knew it intimately and found himself wondering why, for all the power he knew owner to possess, it felt so weak. He drew closer to the orb and realized before he knew it, he was on top of it.

A small orb of dim light that warmed him so completely; he gently touched the light with his astral form and suddenly found himself rocketed into a realm of light, all the darkness that had previously surrounded him seemed to be sucked into the small orb leaving him surrounded by light. He watched as the small orb, now emitting only darkness, began to take a different form. He knew it immediately. His heart stone was there before him but now it seemed to contain a dark shadow within its depths, reminiscent of the dark memory he and Severus had extracted from his mind. He didn't have to stare at it long before the light's intensity began to fade and he could see someone was holding his heart stone out above a body. He realized the body was his own. He was standing right next to his own body. Slowly Severus's form appeared standing over him holding the heart stone, a mixture of painful emotions playing on his features.

Slowly other forms became visible as the light faded but Harry had eyes only for Severus. He suddenly realized why the warming, intimate magic he craved so deeply, felt so weak. Severus looked so tired, so defeated. The shallow expression of hope playing on the edge of his features looked liable to disappear at any moment. Harry felt the urge to reach out to his bond-mate and ease his worries. But without his body Severus would feel nothing. He forced himself to look from Severus to himself. He watched the rise and fall of his chest, saw the red glove on his left hand and saw on his own face the suffering he felt. He wasn't entirely disconnected from himself he realized. He could sync back with his own magical core just like he had with the earth. He sent his mind through his body searching for his own signature, finding it with ease his heart stone acting as a guide. He felt his magic draw him in as if starving for his return.

When Severus rushed into his office without so much as a knock on the door, Dumbledore started for a second, only the look of sheer determination in his eyes silenced Dumbledore's initial inquiry for an explanation; as he knew he would have it without prompting. So he waited for Severus to catch his breath for the moment. The man was in such a frenzy; his normally pale face had a hushed red hue to it, giving him the appearance of fury. However, Severus was far from furious, Dumbledore noted.

"Albus…!" Severus finally spoke in a breath just short of gasping for air. "Can … I use this to help Harry?" He pulled out Harry's heart stone as he spoke and held it out before them. "Is it possible?"

"Severus, cal-" Dumbledore began only to be cut off.

"Do not ask me to calm myself, Albus!" Severus practically shouted as he pulled Harry's heart stone out of the air between them and holding it to himself. "I could not be calm if I wanted too. If there is any chance at all that I can use this to bring him back…" He trailed off the look of desperate hope apparent even in the way he stood.

"Severus," Dumbledore began again. "I don't know if we truly can reach Harry with that." But his eyes began their usual twinkle. "But I will try anything." His words echoed Severus' thoughts. Neither of them could be certain but were desperate enough to try. "I believe I have just the spell to allow you have a chance at getting through to him." He stood and without a second glance he was racing out of his office, Severus tailing closely behind. "We'll need Madam Pomfrey if this is going to work." Dumbledore said as they moved swiftly through the corridors.

"What is the spell, Albus?" Severus asked unable to deal with the suspense of not knowing just what to say to enact the spell that could save Harry.

"It's remarkably simple, my boy." Dumbledore stated. "But sometimes the best spells are." He explained just as they reached the hospital wing; crawling with squibs, students and staff, all trying their best to save what Muggles they could in the name of Harry Potter; their king. They quickly spotted the over worked healer bending over a rather fat Muggle. "Ah, Madam Pomfrey." Dumbledore said cheerily as they approached her. "We may be in need of your services."

"I already am exhibiting my services, Headmaster." The obviously harassed witch said, "I'm not sure how much more of this I can take. We are full to capacity and then some! The students are even having issues, but what could be so urgent to place more weight upon my shoulders?" Her temper had been teetering on the edge all day thus she couldn't help but snap.

"We may have found a way to waken, Harry." Dumbledore said with such assurance that Madam Pomfrey could not deny him. She turned her surprised hope upon Severus. He looked far worse off than she did yet she knew he would do anything to help. She conceded in the face of such devotion.

"Just allow me to replenish this muggle, right quick." She said as she waved her wand to conjure the proper potion and pour it into the Muggles mouth. Severus noticed the name that was placed beside the sleeping muggle on his tray. "V. Dursley" it read. This was the fat cod that abused his bond-mate for so many undeserving years and here he was receiving the best treatment the wizarding world could give to the muggles. The very notion made him sick and as if Dumbledore could feel his sudden revulsion, he placed a firm hand on his shoulder as if, if nothing else, trying to restrain him. But what could he do? Nothing; even if he wanted too (and oh did he want too) hurting the sod, worth less than the scum off his boot, would in turn hurt Harry when he wakes. "Alright then," Madam Pomfrey said interrupting Severus's musing and disappearing the now empty bottle of potion "Off to see Harry then."

"The spell, Albus!" Severus urged from Dumbledore as they moved as quickly as they could through the crowd and toward Harry. "Tell me the spell!"

"Severus," Dumbledore said, suddenly sounding more serious than he had all day, "You have to understand, though the spell is simple it won't be easy to use and the possibilities of it working are slim." Severus was growing impatient with the old wizard. Was he going to tell him or not? "The reason it will be so difficult, Severus, is because you are the only one who can cast it and with your magic so depleted…"

"No." Madam Pomfrey said suddenly stopping in her tracks. "His magical core still has not recovered fully, Headmaster! To use magic in his condition could easily cause him to go mad or worse!" Dumbledore nodded stopping with her. Severus forced himself to stop, Harry was only a few more steps away and they wanted him to stop now? This was going to cause him to go mad not his magic.

"I am well aware of that, Poppy." Dumbledore says as he gestures her forward, "But it is the only chance we have that might work and Harry cannot stay like that forever." Madam Pomfrey inclined her head and hid half her face with her hand.

"Please," Severus said suddenly in a voice neither Dumbledore nor Pomfrey where familiar with coming from him. "We need you to try and keep us both stable through this." He sounded so desperate, so out of his element that Pomfrey decidedly had no choice but to help this sallow man. She nodded solemnly and continued on before the two men, disappearing between the Winter Land guards and into Harry's room. Severus turned his attention immediately on Dumbledore. He did not even need to ask.

"_Reportat quod perierat_" Dumbledore said, "Please, Severus, be careful, Do not push yourself too hard." Severus only nodded once and then turned to go to Harry's side.

"Author's" Notes: _"Reportat quod perierat"_ means "bring back what was lost". I used google translate so if it's wrong I have no idea but I'll trust it until further notice. If I have missed anything please let me know! I will do my best to make this fic as true as I possibly can to Miss. Darcy's work.

Also I am well aware that there are other versions that are attempting to finish off this amazing story and I've read them but they aren't doing it for me so I decided to make my own. My deepest wish for this fanfic if nothing else is to at least satisfy myself and maybe a few other fans of the wonderful story abandoned by Josephine Darcy. I pray she is well and that one day may finish her wonderful tail for us. In the mean time I hope my version will at least satiate the hole left by such an incomplete and lovely fic.


	2. Chapter 79

Severus took his place by Harry's side, barely taking notice that Sirius stood just two feet away. He held the heart stone out just above Harry's chest and spoke the spell, "_Reportat quod perierat"_ and at once he felt the heavy drain on his magic; he knew that drain wouldn't have felt quite as heavy if he had allowed himself to heal, but by then it might have been too late. He nearly fell to his knees as the strain took its toll and was surprised to find himself caught by Sirius.

"Harry needs you now." Sirius said in a sever voice. "You are not allowed to be weak." He hoisted Severus back onto his feet who only nodded and regained his footing. They watched the heart stone for a long time before Sirius finally released Severus to stand on his own. Madam Pomfrey standing by at the ready took a sudden intake of breath quietly when she saw a sudden change in Harry's expression. Sirius watched Harry's expressions change; displaying terror, confusion, pain and all together suffering. He could barely stand seeing him this way and when he looked to Snape he could literally see the strain that Severus was putting into the spell; and he wished for the thousandth time that there was something he could do.

They didn't have to wait long to notice a change in the heart stone itself. They watched in amazement as it seemed to grow darker and darker until the whole thing was nothing but a black stone. Sirius turned to Dumbledore the silent question was written clearly on his face. But he received no reply only a gesture, from the headmaster, to continue watching the stone. As the stone slowly began to regain its color Harry's expression softened and everyone's attention shifted as relaxation seemed to take over the young man. The only one paying attention to the stone now was Severus, who was concentrating hard on bringing his bond-mate back to him. He watched as the darkness with in the stone settled deep within it; swirling about like the dark memory he had helped Harry extract not so long ago, and yet it seemed like an eternity had passed to him.

Severus did not move at inch as the atmosphere around him seemed to change. The energy in the room should have alerted him to the change but he did not want to face it if it meant he had failed; he was so focused on the stone he couldn't sense the jubilation. But the hand that was suddenly there on his face was so gentle and so familiar. The voice that spoke his name was so sweet, so alluring that his concentration wavered. His eyes darted briefly from the heart stone to Harry's beautiful, green eyes and back again; refusing to believe it. He had dreamed of Harry looking at him like that for so long he could have easily imagined it. But the hand felt so real. He looked at Harry again and there he was sitting up in his bed leaning toward him with so much emotion pouring from those amazing eyes and Severus's breathe hitched as he gasped in realization.

This was no dream. Harry really was awake! And he was touching his face and looking at him as if he mattered, as if he were the only one that mattered. Severus couldn't help his next actions, he plunged himself into the young man's arms pulling him into a fierce hug. His elation was such that it took him a moment to realize that Harry needed to breath. He loosened his grip and made to move away but was suddenly caught by arms he had not realized where around him. Harry had quite literally buried himself in Severus's chest and was most obviously not willing to let him escape. This was perfectly acceptable to Severus but he began to feel the effects of the magical drain and could barely hold himself up. Harry was supporting much of his weight before Sirius and Madam Pomfrey lifted him off of him.

Harry watched as Severus was gently placed in the chair beside his bed. Severus' eyes never leaving Harry for a second; but the magical drain was apparent and something inside Harry caused his heart to ache; he knew the man was suffering and he knew it was his fault. But as Severus lay in the chair, practically draped over it Sirius pulled him into a bone crushing hug, bringing to Harry's attention, for the first time, that there were others in the room. He felt himself blush furiously as he realized how focused he had been on Severus; but now that his focus had shifted he felt his own exhaustion catch up to him. He looked up at his God-Father; exhaustion etched all over his face and promptly fell asleep.

Sirius held Harry as he slept. He had been surprised, though now that he thought about it he shouldn't have been, when Harry was suddenly breathing deeply and peacefully in his arms having fallen into a much needed deep sleep. He had wanted Harry to confirm that he was truly back but the peaceful look on his face halted any attempt he might have given to wake him; and Madam Pomfrey had confirmed that his condition had stabilized and though she refused to remove glove until the chemicals in Harry's blood had sufficiently cleared she was confident he would be fine. And Dumbledore transfigured the chair; Severus was laying on into a bed as to accommodate him more easily.

"It may be time to let them rest, my boy." Dumbledore said as his gaze came to rest on Sirius. He looked up at the Headmaster and opened his mouth to protest then he thought better of it and nodded.

"I need to find Remus and tell him the good news anyway." Sirius mused when a sudden realization hit. "Dumbledore," his voice an octave higher in severity, "was Remus with you when Snape went to fetch you?" Dumbledore looked at him confused for a moment but shook his head.

"No, he would be here if he was wouldn't he?" Dumbledore said sounding curious. "Should he have been?"

"Yes, he was going to check in with you before he came down to see Harry." Sirius informed him looking quite perturbed and slightly worried. "I haven't seen him sense."

"Perhaps he was recruited by the students to help with the Muggles on his way." Dumbledore suggested. Sirius nodded distractedly and then looked at Harry.

"Why does he have to be so magnanimous?" Sirius asked in a tone suggesting exasperation as he watched Harry sleep. When Dumbledore offered no reply, Sirius looked at him and Dumbledore could see the many emotions lingering in his face. Hurt, sadness, confusion, wonder and fury all played a part in making up his expression and Dumbledore knew Sirius was referring mostly towards the Dursleys. And when Dumbledore could offer no words still, Sirius stood. "I'm going to look for Remus." Nodding his departure to the Headmaster, he disappeared through the doorway.

In truth Dumbledore did understand to a point as to why Harry forgives so easily and he knew that the Dursleys where still important to him. What he didn't understand, however, was why. They had abused poor Harry for 16 years of his life and still he knew Harry had done everything he could to save them. As benevolent as Dumbledore had always tried to be he knew if he were in Harry's shoes he would not have been so forgiving. Dumbledore stepped closer to Harry and placed a wrinkled old hand on his forehead, brushing his bangs aside, to stare at his scar. Dumbledore frowned as his eyes lay upon it and then turned before turning to leave he said, "Get some rest Severus, staring at him won't make him wake up faster." And then left to help Sirius find Remus; Severus would have sneered had he the energy.

"Authors" Note: My chapters are a lot shorter than Miss. Darcy's chapters, I know. But that's how I roll. If they get to long I become intimidated and edit it until it's unrecognizable. So though the chapters maybe short the story will remain as true as I possibly can make it. Please feel free to correct me if I get something wrong or if my grammar is off or something. I'm doing this unbetaed so if anyone would like to offer assistance I'll greatly appreciate it.

I would like to thank Puzzle Me This for her kind offer of assistance. 3 Thank you.


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